Dan Eldon for TOMS Shoes : My ‘Give, Shop and Gallery’ Adventure
I got these…I love the fact that they’re brand new but made to look dirty. Can’t wait to wear them at SXSW!
Reblogged from Armen Atoyan
TOMS shoes are one of my personal favorites, so when Buzznet told me they wanted me to cover the ‘Give, Shop and Gallery’ opening event at Space15Twenty on Friday I was stoked! There were so many amazing shoes, and such great vibes, but what was really cool was the fact that the new collection that as always is “one for one”, was inspired by Dan Eldon‘s artwork and legacy.
The new TOMS collection is a full line of really great shoes. We all know and love the classic TOMS but in this new collection we are seeing some new additions to the classic look. Now TOMS come in wedges, which is very cool for those of you who don’t like flats. They also come in lace ups which look like a casual version of a dress shoe, but not only that there is also a very new style that reminds me of a Vans mid-top shoe, very cool. There are also vegan TOMS
Aside from the shoes, there was a very creative take on a press backsplash. Rather than have the backsplash for press photos being covered in ads, the event featured a DIY version. Everyone at the event was encouraged to dip their hand in paint and make their mark on the backsplash, which was so much fun. Some of the celebrities like Curtis Stone and Lindsay Price even had fun participating in the hand painting…
By now I’m sure some of you guys are wondering “Who is Dan Eldon?” Well, Dan Eldon was an artist, adventurer, and “creative activist” who grew up in Kenya and traveled all over the world and created a philosophy he calls “Safari as a way of life”. In 1992 he photographed the famine in Somalia, which was seen around the world, and then he began “Operation Restore Hope” to raise money for Somalia. He tragically passed away at age 22 in 1993 after a bombing in Somalia. However he leaves his mark in the world to this day and his artwork not only was the inspiration for this TOMS Shoes collection, but his limited-edition fine art was also on display and for sale at the event to raise money for the Creative Vision Foundation whose mission is to “support Creative Activists like Dan to create positive change in the world”.
At the end of the night the press wall was covered in hand prints, it was such a great creative idea that not only was engaging but the embodiment of what Dan Eldon is all about, creativity. I also spotted another celebrity at the TOMS even, Selma Blair. I have to say I am a fan, I think she’s great but I was not expecting her to be so nice. When I asked to take a photo of her she instead wanted to take it with me, I was like “OK!” haha, she is so funny, sweet, and supper pregnant. All in all the event was really fun and creative, I can’t wait to see these TOMS on peoples feet supporting the cause of “One for One” and Creative Activists.
What do you think of the new TOMS?
Tell me what you think about Dan Eldon’s story. Have you heard of him before now?
What color(s) wold you have chosen for your handprint?
See more photos of the event on Artificial Daydream
